February 20, 7534
The Family as a Supreme Value: Scholarly Article by I. A. Sedakova on Old Believers’ Attitude Toward Family — Selected Excerpts The article by I. A. Sedakova is based on materials collected from 2006 to 2008 among Russian Old Believers — the Nekrasovites and Lipovans — in Bulgaria (Kazashko village, Varna province; Tataritsa village, Silistra…
By Kiril Mikhailov When comparing Old Belief with other Orthodox confessions, the first thing that stands out is its familialism. All forms of traditional spirituality tend to gravitate toward traditional social structures and patriarchal ways of life—but for Old Belief, this was almost the central issue of its confession of faith [14: 79]. Everyone is…
How can one save a marriage and restore relationships if they married foolishly, out of passion, or without love? Is such an unsuccessful marriage also considered God’s will, requiring humble submission? This question has two parts. What we do is not necessarily done according to God’s will. However, everything we do is allowed by God…
How can one build a happy marriage? Why is marriage a sacrament? What mystical, mysterious events occur during the wedding ceremony? To build something successfully, one must first understand what it is. For example, to construct a building, one needs to know what it is, on what foundation and materials it stands, what dimensions and…
How can one choose a spouse to ensure a happy marriage? What should one look for in a young man or woman? Every young man and woman, especially those raised in Christian families, dreams of a strong, lifelong marriage and a loving spouse. How, then, can one find the person truly meant for them? Unfortunately,…
What hierarchy of values should a Christian family have? What should come first, second, and third? First and foremost, there must be a hierarchy. This is not about establishing equal rights in decision-making, where the husband and wife have equal say in family matters, or where a child’s voice is equal to that of an…
What are the roles of men and women in the family? Under what circumstances can a woman work without harming the family? St. John Chrysostom writes that human responsibilities can be divided into two categories: public duties, or tasks outside the home, and domestic duties. Men are generally more suited to the former, and women…
How can one discern the will of God when facing life situations where it is unclear what to do? (For example, choosing a husband, profession, place of residence, etc.) The Lord has granted us free will and freedom of choice, so we should not shift the responsibility for all life decisions onto God. When choosing…
What is spiritual kinship? How can couples in the Old Believer tradition avoid becoming spiritual relatives before marriage? Spiritual kinship, often referred to as “kinship through the cross,” typically arises through baptism, when godparents are appointed for the baptized individual. A spiritual kinship exists between the godfather (or godmother) and their godchild, equated by Church…
The life of a Christian is built upon the presence of a spiritual father. A spiritual father is a priest who helps the Christian grow spiritually. It is to him that the Christian usually turns for advice and for the performance of sacramental rites such as marriage, baptism, and others. A Christian does not go to just…